Control device for liquid fuel burners



y29,1934. R. M. SHERMAN ET AL 1 961,083

CONTROL DEVICE FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS Filed March 30. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Hallway/1 1 4! mi -km IIII/ y 1934- R. M. SHERMAN ET AL 1, 61,083

CONTROL DEVICE FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS Filed March 30, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 17 49 I" C: 47 2 as 65 5' /89 Patented May 29, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- CONTROL DEVICE FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS Rallston M. Sherman, Glastonbury, and Frederick F. Neumann, West Hartford, Conn., assignors to The Silent Glow Oil Burner Corporation, Hartford, Conn.,'a corporation of Connecticut Application March 30, 1931, Serial No. 526,532 .11 Claims. (Cl. 158-11) This invention relates to liquid fuel burners by means of a spring 23 positioned in a recess in and consists in improvements designed to increase the valve casing encircling the valve stem 24 and their field of utility by the provision of suitable confined between a washer on the valve stem control devices such that the same burner may and a threaded thimble 25 screwed into the top be employed with either liquid or gaseous fuel, of t a ve easin 60 or both. While other types of liquid fuel may The oil valve 13 is provided with the valve stem be employed, for descriptive purposes the liquid 27 hav ng threaded enga e With the Valve fuel is herein referred t a il, casing 29, the stem having a shouldered lower The invention will b b t u d tood by refend adapted, as the stem is screwed in or out of erence. to the following description when taken the easing, t e b u int engagement w th 65 in connection with the accompanying illustrathe valve seat and over the oil supp y P 31 0 tion, while its scope will be more particularly .close the same, or to be retracted therefrom and pointed out in the appended claims. to P d a Ve y gradually enlarging p p In the drawings; ing as the tapered end of the valve emerges more 15 Fig. 1 is a plan view of a control device comor ess f om the po t. he suppl por 1 opens 70 prising a control valve for the oil and a control t th oil supply passa 33 at the lower end v lve .for th gaseous fuel; of the casing 29 and the'valve when opened admits Fig. 2 is a central, sectional elevation of the Oil fr m the port 31 through a lateral passa n control device sh w i Fig 1; the side of the casing above the port to the burner Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating the pp y P p 75 relationship between the two valves at different The lower end of each Valve casing is eaded stages in the perati of each; into the connecting yoke piece 41 which unites- Fig. 7 shows one method of connecting the conthe wo casin s in o a in l structure nd protrol device of Fig. 1 to a liquid fuel burner of the vidcs a coupling to whi h r m y be s rewed combustion tube ty e; and by threaded engagement the supply pipes 43 and 8 Fig. 8 shows another method of connecting the Connected (F '7 a ne to a source of device to the same typ of burn r, gaseous fuel supply, and the other to a source of Referring to the drawings and to the illustra- Oil p y a d a a t d to supp y as and oil retive embodiment of the invention, there is shown p v y t0 the gas a d l V ves 17 and 33. in Figs. 1 and 2 a control device adapted to be To turn the Oil Valve, the letter s p vided' applied to an oil burner (as shown in Fig 7) so immediately above the casing i a ear 47 constructed that it may be operated for either adapted to mesh With a Segmental a 49 se long or short intervals from a supply of ith cured to the gas valve stem when the latter is oil or gas, the controlling device being such that turned into a suitable angular relationship to the 35 the burner may be operated exclusively from a gear The gears are Covered by a p ate 51 99 source of oil supply or from a sourc f gas upwhich fits over the valve stems and is held in ply, or its operation at one time when supplied position by the sp s 53 a 55, respectively, with gaseous fuel may be followed without intern i lin t p t ud ends f t stems. The ruption by its operation with oil, or vice versa. pr n 53 i h d i p n y a n t 57 on the Referring to Fig. 2, the control device comprises end f t e oil va v t 27 a h sprin is two coordinated valves, a gas valve 11 of the roheld in p i i n by a-hendle 59 t ned to the tary tapered type and an oil valve 13 of the needle op of the as Val e Stem 54.

' ype. The gas valve 11 comprises a tapered valve T h n l 59 h e projecting finger 61 which, body fittin a tapered seat in the valvecasing 15 y en a ement with th end o an a c-shaped,

in which the valve turns, the casing having at raised, stop lug 63, limits the movement of the its lower end a gas supply passage 17. The pas. valve stem in either direction. The diametrically sage 17 communicates freely with a cored passage pp finger 55 0f the handle is inclined P- extending part way into the lower end of the wards so that in the rotative'movement of th valve body and having a port 19 opening through stem it clears the stop lug 63.

50 the side of the valve which, when the valve is suit- The valve ports w t their n cted gears are ably turned, registers with a delivery port 21 (see represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in the closed posi- Figs. 3 to 5) which is in the side of the valve castion of each. If it is desired to open the gas valve ing and communicates with the burner gas-supto startthe burner with gas, the handle 59 is ply pipe 22 (Figs. 1, 7 and 8). turned counterclockwise to supply gas t t 55 The valve 11 is kept pressed tightly to its seat burner and may be turned to the full open p051.- o

.applied in either slightly tion represented in Fig. 4 or any intermediate position, dependent on the supply of gas desired. The valve may be left in that position for any desired length of time and the burner operated as a gas burner.

If it is desired to employ oil as a fuel and to utilize the gas flame merely for preheating the burner, after the burner has acquired a temperature such that the oil may be turned on with the assurance of its being vaporized as soon as it enters the burner, the valve is then turned to some such position as is represented in Fig. 5, diminishingsomewhat the supply of gas and causing the segmental gear 49 to engage the oil valve gear 47 and turn the latter slightly to partly open the oil port and admit a limited supply of oil. As soon as the combustion of the oil is completely established the valve is then turned to some such position as is shown in Fig. 6, where the gas supply is completely out off and the burner worksexclusively under the supply'of oil, the handle being capable of being turned still further to increase the supply of oil as may be required.

Preferably the pitch of the threads on the oil valve stem 27 is such as to give a port opening under the partial rotation of the gear 47 here provided for, sufficient to yield the maximum supply of oil which is required.

One or both of the gears 47 and 49 are preferably so mounted on their respective valve stems as to be capable of some angular adjustment. In the illustrated form of the invention, the valve stems are provided with teeth or notches over which the gears fit with interengaging recesses, so that when desired either one may be slipped off and again position with relation to the stem.

In Fig. '7 we have shown the connection and relationship of the control device to a typical oil burner of the combustion tube type. The latter is provided with the base member 67 having an inner, annular, broad oil vaporizing groove 69 and an outer, annular, concentric groove 71, the two grooves being connected by fuel supply conduits (not herein shown) Annular air admission openings '73 are provided between the two grooves and a central air passage 75 within the inner groove 69. The outer groove '71 is formed between upright flanges which support perforated combustion tubes 7'? and '79, forming between them a combustion chamber open at the top. A similar inner combustion chamber, also open at the top and separated from the first combustion chamber by an intervening annular air space, is formed between the perforatedcombustion tubes 81 and 83, seated one on the outer flanged wall of the groove 69 and the other on the outer edge of the removable cover plate 85 which partially covers a portion of the broad fuel groove but leaves the outer portion thereof aligned with and communicating with the overhead combustion chamber. The top of the central air chamber and the intermediate annular air chamber being closed, fuel admitted to and ignited in or immediately above the fuel grooves commingles with the air supplied through the perforated walls of the combustion tubes and burns therein, with a blue flame issuing from the open tops of the two concentric combustion chambers.

While the fuel grooves may be in free and open communication with the overlying combustion chambers, herein the bottom of each combustion chamber is separated from the underlying fuel groove by a partition formed by a plate 8'7, each plate being provided with a series of restricted opening in the .through an opening also in the bottom advanced or backward orifices or their equivalent, so that, while permitting the passage from the fuel groove to the overhead combustion chamber of either gaseous fuel or vaporized oil, the burning thereof is confined to the combustion space and the flow of gaseous vapor is sumciently restricted to cause a substantially even distribution'thereof as it circulates throughout the fuel spaces and a substantially uniform combustion throughout both co'mbustion chambers whether supplied with gas or with oil.

In Fig. 7 the burner gas-supply pipe 22 is connected to the burner to deliver gas into the outer fuel groove 71, while the burner oil-supply pipe 35 is connected to supply oil through an base plate 67, delivering it directly to the bottom of the broad vaporizing groove 69. i

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 8, a burner similar to that illustrated in connection with Fig. 7 is shown, but both the burner gas-supply pipe 22 and the burner oil-supply pipe 35 are connected to deliver each its supply through a common delivery pipe 89 which discharges of the broad fuel passage 69.

It will be observed that the two valves are so related that in cutting off the gas from the burner and opening the oil supply thereto, as in passing from the position shown in Fig.,4 to that shown in Fig. 6, or in cutting off the oil and opening the gas supply, as in passing from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 4, an intermediate position, such as shown in Fig. 5, is passed through in which both gas and oil are temporarily supplied. This insures the persistance of the combustion in the burner during the time that change is being made from one type of fuel to the other so that the operation of the burner may proceed without interruption. It. further facilitates the action of starting the burner with oil after preheating with gas, since the continuing pressure in the gas supply, as the oil is turned on, checks the too sudden delivery of oil to the vaporizing space, allowing it to flow more gradually over the bottom plate thereof and insuring its instant vaporization bythe preheated walls.

When the burneris in operation the base and the vertical supply pipe connected to the base become highly heated and, when supplied with oil, partial vaporization, at least, of the oil begins to take place in the pipe at'a substantial distance below the base. In the form shown in Fig. 8, the burner may be started with gas which is supplied under any suitable or desired pressure. When the valve is moved to admit the first small initial supply of oil, a minute but gradually increasing amount of the latter enters the horizontal pipe 89, where it passes over with the gas into the vaporizing zone in the vertical pipe, supplying vaporized oil to the burner to off-set the diminishing supply of gas. The gas, however, is left free to force its way through the vertical supply pipe to the burner under the supplied pressure until, as the gas supply decreases and the fuel supply becomes mainly or wholly vaporized oil, the vaporization of the latter is suflicient to maintain the burner in full fire operation.

The ordinary combustion tube burner, when supplied solely with liquid fuel, has certain disadvantages which limit its field of usefulness. In starting a burner of this type from a cold condition it is necessary to preheat the burner walls before finally turning on the full continuing supphr of the liquid fuel so that some vaporization more general use of this type of burner. Due

also to the fact that the oil or other fuel is delivered in liquid form and must be vaporized by the heated surrounding walls of the burner before it can be ignited in the combustion chamber,

the heating effect of an oil burner of given size is limited and, while it may be ample for ordinary purposes, if an especial occasion arises calling for a more intense heat, the burner cannot be forced beyond a'given point by merely increasing the rate with which liquid fuel is supplied.

In the described embodiment of the invention, if it is desired to operate the burner with liquid fuel, the starting interval may be cut down to a relatively short period by first turning on and igniting the gas from the source of gas supply which will immediately develop the full heating capacity of the burner and will quickly raise the temperature'of the burner walls to a point suflicient to fully vaporize the oil. Accordingly the latter, without the long delay heretofore necessary, may be quickly turned on and the gas shut off, almost immediately reaching the full oilheating capacity of the burner under the supply of liquid fuel, thereby eliminating in large measure the disadvantage due to a prolonged starting interval.

On the other hand, where it is desired usually to operate the burner under liquid fuel but at times to operate it under conditions of more intense heat than could be obtained by liquid fuel, the latter may be shut off and the gas turned on to force the burner beyond its liquid-fuel heating capacity and to give whatever degree of flame may be called for.

The construction of the burner which qualifies it to burn either type of fuel adapts it to a wide range of conditions. If gas is readily available and relatively economical it may be employed primarily with gas, and liquid fuel may be drawn from a source of liquid fuel supply only on those occasions when, as often happens, the gas supply may fail or be inadequate. If, as is usually the case, liquid fuel is more economical than gas, the burner may be primarily operated from the source of liquid fuel and operated with gas only for preheating or when the liquid fuel supply is depleted or not available, or when a special occa- "sion arises for forcingthe-burner beyond a heating capacity which is/ obtainable from the liquid fuel. On the other hand, the burner may be operated at will exclusively by liquid fuel or exclusively with gas, as circumstances may demand.

The source of oil supply may comprise an elevated tank or the like combined with any feeding devices customarily employed with burners of this type and which provide for the flow of oil to the burner from some definite height or level capable of being accurately regulated, so that the flow of fuel may be maintainedat a predeterminedlevel overthe flow plate or bottomgof the broad vaporized groove 69 in the burner. Such tanks and regulating devices are of common construction and are not herein shown. The source of gaseous fuel supply may be the ordinary service main or a gas-containing storage tank where the gas is maintained under pressure, or any other 5 suitable source. v

If, during the operation of the burner under 011,

it is desired to force the burner beyond its oil heating capacity, the valve may be turned back from the oil supplying position, shown in Fig. 6,

to the gas supplying position, and when turned to its full gas supplying position, shown in Fig.

4, it will produce a flame of greater volume and heating intensity than can be had from the oil supply. Similarly should any occasion arise for switching from one type of fuel to the other, either because of the depletion or failure of the oil supply or the temporary or other failure of the necessary pressure in the gas main or other source, or for any other reason, such switch or change may be immediately madewithout alteration in the burner itself.

While we have herein described for purposes of illustration one specific embodiment of the invention and one-particular application thereof, it is to be understood that extensive deviations from and changes in the illustrated form may be made and applications thereof other than herein illustrated may be utilized, all without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. The combination with a burner having a combustion chamber, of a source of liquid fuel supply connected thereto, a source of gaseous fuel supply communicating with said conbustion chamber, separate valves for controlling the supply of fuel to the burner from said sources, means for operating one of said valves, and means for coordinately operating the other valve comprising a segmental gear connected to one valve and an intermeshing gear connected to the other constructed for efiecting movement of one valve without movement of the other.

2. The combination with a burner having a combustion chamber, of a source of liquid fuel supply connected thereto, a source of gaseous fuel supply communicating with said combustion chamber, separate valves for controlling the supply of fuel to the burner from said sources comprising a rotary gas, va ve and a positively seating oil valve, and means interconnecting said valves to move the same coordinately together or to move said gas valve alone when the oil valve is seated.

. 3. The combination with a burner having a combustion chamber, of a source of liquid fuel supply connected thereto, a source of gaseous fuel supply communicating with said combustion chamber, means forcontrolling the supply of fuel from said sources comprising a rotary gas valve member and a rotary positively seating liquid fuel valve member, and means interconnecting said valves to move said valve members coordinately or to provide for the movement of the said gas valve member to full open position while the liquid fuel valve member is still closed.

4. The combination with a burner having a combustion chamber, of a source of liquid fuel supply connected thereto, a source of gaseous fuel supply communicating with the combustion chamber, a valve for controlling the gas supply, a separate valve for controlling the liquid fuel supply, and means for actuating the valves including gearing connections between the valves constructed for movement of the gas valve to its full open position to supply gas to the combustion chamber of the burner while maintaining the liquid fuel valve closed, for opening movement of the liquid fuel valve with shutting olf of the gas to supply liquid fuel to the fuel receiving space of the burnfuel supply, for continuance of the gas supply until the liquid fuel supply has been established.

5. The combination with a burner having a combustion chamber, of a source of liquid fuelsupply connected thereto, a source of gaseous fuel supply communicating with said combustion chamber, a valve for controlling the gas supply, a separate valve for controlling the liquid fuel supply, and interconnections between said valves constructed for movement of each to a full'open position to connect the burner exclusively with either source of supply, said connections constructed for effecting a closing movement of one valve on the opening movement of the other.

.6. The combination with a burner having a combustion chamber, of a source of liquid fuel supply connected thereto, a source of gaseous fuel supply communicating with the combustion chamber, a valve for controlling the gas supply, a separate valve for controlling the liquid fuel supply, connections between said valves constructed for effecting the continuance of the established supply from one source until the supply from the other source has been established, said connections permitting movement of said valves each to its full open position to connect the burner exclusively with either source of supply.

'7. The combination with a burner having a combustion chamber, of a source of liquid fuel supply connected thereto, a source of gaseous fuel supply communicating with the combustion chamber, a valve for controlling the gas supply, a separate valve for controlling the liquid fuel supply, means for actuating the valves including connections between the valves constructed for movement of the gas valve to its full open position to supply gas to the combustion chamber of the burner while maintaining the liquid fuel valve closed, said connections further constructed for effecting opening movement of the liquid fuel valve to supply liquid fuel to the fuel receiving space of the burner-with simultaneous shutting off of an established supply of gaseous fuel, and,

in the change from gas supply to liquid fuel supply, constructed for effecting a continuance of established gas supply until the liquid fuel supply has been established. 8.-The combination with a burner having a combustion chamber, of a source of liquid fuel supply connected thereto, a source of gaseous fuel supply for the combustion chamber, sepa-v rate valves for controlling said supplies, and inter combustion chamber, of a source gaseous fuel supply,

connections between the valves constructed for effecting the closing movement of one valve through the opening movement of the other, said connections includinga lost motion provision constructed so that the gas valve may be moved to its full open position while maintaining the liquid fuel valve closed.

9. The combination with a burner having a combustion chamber, of 'a source of liquid fuel supply connected thereto, a source of gaseous fuel supply for the combustion chamber, separate valves for controlling said supplies, and interconnections between the valves constructed for efiecting the closing movement of one valve through the opening movement of the other, said connections including a lost motion provision constructed so that one-valve may be moved to its full open position while maintaining the other valve closed.

10. The combination with a burner having a of liquid fuel supply connected thereto, a source of gaseous fuel supply communicating with the combustion chamber, a valve for controlling the gaseous fuel supply, a separate valve for controlling the liquid fuel supply, means for operating said gaseous fuel supply valve to move it to its full open position while maintaining the liquid fuel supply valve closed, means for moving the liquid fuel supply valve to its full open position while maintaining the gaseous fuel supply valve closed, and interconnections between the valves constructed to utilize the opening movement of one valve to cause the closing movement of the other valve.

11. The combination with a burner of the combustion tube type having spaced perforated walls providing between them an elongated combustion chamber, of a base member presenting a fuel receiving space opening into the combustion chamber, a source of liquid fuel supply, a source of gaseous fuel supply, a valve for controlling thea separate valve for controlling the liquid fue supply, a common supply pipe connecting both valves with the fuel receiving space of the burner, and means for actuating the valves to connect the burner exclusively with either source of supply, including connections between the valves constructed for effecting closing movement of one valve on opening movement of the other.

RALLSTON M. SHERMAN. FREDERICK F. NEUMANN. 

